News and Views

The human mind plans the way, but the Lord directs the steps. -- Proverbs 16:9

 When we gather as the Church, we do so to tend to our souls, but when disaster and other crises strike, we are also called upon to help keep one another physically safe.

 Recent headlines of church shootings have brought this responsibility to light. Insurance companies, law enforcement officials, and church consultants offer a number of ideas for congregations to consider as they create an emergency response plan.

 See the Baltimore-Washington Conference Local Church Disaster Preparedness Manual for more information.

 Create your plan

• Having a plan, just in case disaster strikes, is always a good idea. The plan should include responses to a variety of emergency situations including natural disasters, fire, medical situations, and violent intruders in the building.
• There should be one person, or a small team of church leaders, in charge of overseeing the plan and sharing information with other leaders and the congregation.
• Remember that the priority is always people first, before any property or other concerns.

General elements of the plan

• In a common area, display a map of the church with marked exit doors and routes.
• Identify and communicate appropriate safe gathering places for instances like a tornado. Also designate a space outside of the building where people can meet after evacuation.
• Have appropriate first aid and emergency medical supplies on hand and make sure people know how to access them.
• Consider what alternative sources of emergency power your church has; also do periodic checks on equipment like fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, defibrillators, a tool kit, flashlights and extra batteries.
• Create or update a roster or process to contact church members as necessary. Create and share, as appropriate, a list of the church leaders who will respond to an emergency and their 24-hour phone numbers.
• Offer readiness training or drills for church staff and other leaders.
• All important church documents, records and information systems should backed up, with a copy in the cloud or at an off-site location.

If you experience a crime in progress

• Call 9-1-1. Provide your name, address, and briefly apprise them of the situation.
• Remain as calm as possible. Do not attempt to apprehend the person.

 If the assailant has a weapon:

• If possible, do not stay in open areas. Try to get everyone to secure rooms, lock the doors, turn off the lights, and find any possible cover.
• Turn down any radios/cell phones.
• If you hear gunfire, drop to the ground and remain down
• Remain calm, stay indoors until the all-clear signal is given, regardless how long it takes.

 Helpful resources:

• FEMA provides a Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Houses of Worship, which covers prevention, protection, mitigation, response and recovery.

Brotherhood Mutual Insurance offers excellent resources:

• Preparing to Response to Violence in Your Church
• Surviving A Violent Attack at Church
• How to Deal with Disruptive Individuals.

 If you have any concerns about disasters or other crises in your church, contact your local law enforcement officials.

 Bishop LaTrelle Easterling encourages all churches to establish and maintain relationships with first responders in their communities. “The time to get ready is not when a disaster is looming or has just occurred. Rather, it is always better to plan and prepare well-before being confronted by the chaos that accompanies any disaster,” she said. “I pray we will all be like the wise builder in Matthew 7:24, building his house upon the rock, as we claim and strive to live as Christ, the rock of our salvation. Our readiness is essential.”